1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to a system and method for managing inventory. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system incorporating radio frequency identification (RFID) components for managing inventory as the inventory is checked in, stored within, and/or checked out of a facility.
2. Description of the Related Art
Inventory management is common issue for any organization involved in the manufacture or distribution of goods. Inadequate inventory management can lead to inventory being out-of-stock, which can result in production deficiencies and lost sales. For example, an automotive manufacturer might use many thousands of small parts to manufacture a vehicle. If the automotive manufacturer runs out of even one of the required small parts, then it may be required to halt production of its vehicles until such required parts have been re-ordered and delivered by a vendor. One potential method previously used to reduce the occurrence of out-of-stock conditions is to create an overstocked condition, whereby a significant amount of inventory is maintained at the manufacturing facility, with such an amount being much more than is required for daily or weekly manufacturing needs. However, overstocked conditions can also be costly, as the manufacture must devote space and resources to storing and managing such extra inventory. Furthermore, even with inventory being overstocked, if the manufacturer does not accurately track its inventory, the manufacturer can easily run out of inventory and create an out-of-stock condition.
In addition to overstocking inventory, some computer-implemented systems have previously been developed that are capable of monitoring inventory. For example, such systems may include a database that tracks inventory as it is received and used by a manufacturer. However, most of such previously-used computer-implemented systems require information related to the inventory to be manually entered into the system by a user. For example, a user may be required to manually enter into a computing device (e.g., via a computer keyboard) when inventory has been received by the manufacture, such that the database can be updated to show that such inventory is in the possession of the manufacturer. Similarly, the user of such a system may be required to manually update the database as the inventory is used or is otherwise removed from the manufacturer's possession. Such manual entry requirements can lead to errors in the management of the manufacturer's inventory.
To help further automate such previously-used systems, certain systems have also incorporated the use of scanning technologies, which can scan and register inventory as the inventory is received and/or removed. For example, such scanning technologies may include bar-code systems, QR-code systems, or radio frequency identification (RFID) systems. RFID systems are perhaps the most efficient form of scanning technologies, as inventory can be tracked without a user being required to manually use a scanning tool (e.g., bar-code scanner) to physically scan each piece of inventory as it is received and/or removed. However, previously-used RFID systems have significant drawbacks. For example, accurate RFID systems are often expensive because RFID antennas and readers used in such systems are required to operate at high power levels (e.g., such RFID antennas are configured to emit and receive high-power electromagnetic signals). In addition, many previously-used RFID systems are configured to be permanently built into a facility and are restricted from being moved within the facility. For example, many previously-used RFID systems are formed as “portals,” similar to airport metal detectors, which a user must walk through. As such, the RFID system is configured to read an RFID tag secured to inventory items carried by the user as the user walks through the portal. To facilitate efficiency, such portals are generally positioned near an entrance and/or an exit of a facility; however, such portals are not generally moveable from such locations. As such, previously-used RFID systems are often inflexible, as they do not permit reconfigurations or rearrangements of a facility's layout or workflow. Furthermore, users of such previously-used RFID systems generally do not know when an inventory item has been properly read into the system. As such, users receive no indication or verification that the system is working as it should be.